Environment, Organics, Fair Trade & Recycling at Big Green Purse

Energy-efficient Fusion debuts at North American Auto Show

If you're in the market for a new family car that gets good gas mileage, easily carries 5 passengers, and has room in the trunk for your junk, several of the new models that debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week could be exactly what you're looking for. For now, let's take a look at the Ford Fusion Hybrid.

The Ford Fusion Hybrid created some of the biggest buzz at the show, and for good reason. It's a roomy, family-size car but with snazzy style and a regenerative braking system and electric battery that help it get 36 mpg in the city, 41 mpg on the highway. (Full disclosure: I was a guest of the Ford Motor Company at the auto show, though under no obligation to favorably review any of its vehicles.) In case you're wondering, here's how Ford explains what "regenerative braking system" means:

When you apply the brakes in a conventional vehicle, kinetic energy is lost to heat due to friction. During braking in the Fusion Hybrid, however, the regenerative braking system recovers over 90 percent of this energy that is normally lost and sends it back to the battery pack to be stored for later use. Not only is regenerative braking efficient, but it also helps minimize wear on the brake pads, lowering the cost of maintenance.

It doesn't matter if a car CAN get good fuel efficiency if the driver drives so it doesn't. One of the features I like the most on the Fusion is its "Dual LCD SmartGauge Cluster with Eco Guide." The SmartGauge uses liquid crystal displays on either side of the center-mounted speedometer. A tutorial built into the display lets you choose one of four data screens for the level of information you want — Inform, Enlighten, Engage or Empower — and explains your options within each. Steering wheel-mounted controls make it all easy. All levels can indicate instant fuel economy and trip data including time-elapsed fuel economy and miles to empty. The display grows leaves when you drive efficiently. The leaves fade when you don’t. More leaves = more mpg.

Another plus? The Fusion Hybrid's eco-friendly cloth seating is made from 85 percent post-industrial materials - polyester fibers that would otherwise have ended up in landfills.

The car also includes "adaptive cruise control" to automatically slow the Fusion when it detects slower traffic ahead, and an "active park assist" system to make it easier for the driver to parallel park. Sensors in the Fusion's rear quarter-panels detect traffic in a driver’s blindspot, providing both audible and visual warnings if traffic – unseen by the driver – is approaching.

While the Fusion Hybrid is available in show rooms now, stay tuned for the Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid, which Ford claims will be the most fuel-efficient midsize car in the world. Arriving this fall, Fusion Energi could deliver more than 100 MPGe, a mile per gallon equivalency metric for electrified vehicles. Ford says this is 8 MPGe more than the Chevrolet Volt and 13 MPGe more than the projected efficiency of the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid model.

Related Posts:

Here's what I thought when I test-drove the original Fusion Hybrid in 2010

How Green Are the Cars at the 2010 Auto Show?

My test drive of the all-electric Nissan Leaf: On a scale of one to 10, I give it a...

Top Ten Ways to Use Less Gas

Test drive the new Chevy Volt with me

Want to increase your fuel efficiency overnight? Pump up your tires! Use this tire pressure gauge to check your tire pressure at least every three months.

Do You Have a BHAGG for 2012?

You can't buy it. You can't make it. And you probably shouldn't eat it - unless it's organic.

You can, however, achieve it - because it's a goal... a Big Hairy Audacious Green Goal, exactly the kind of goal we need if we're serious about protecting the planet, our health, and the health and safety of our families.

You notice a BHAGG is not a "resolution," as in the well-meaning but easy-to-break promise you might make to yourself in the new year. Nope, a BHAGG is a specific challenge you strive to achieve, knowing full well it may not be easy to reach - but when you get there, it will make a real difference.

For example, an eco-resolution might be, "save energy in 2012." A BHAGG would be "reduce the amount of energy I use to heat my home by 20%, as measured by a 20% reduction in my heating and cooling bills."

A resolution might be, "eat more locally grown food." A BHAGG would be, "80% of the food I eat will be grown within 100 (or 200 at most) miles of where I live."

A resolution might be, "drive less." A BHAGG would be, "walk or bicycle distances of less than a mile."

Precise, measureable, and meaningful: those are the keys to a BHAGG that will have an impact.

The original term Big Hairy Audacious Goal, or BHAG, was coined by James Collins and Jerry Porras in their 1994 best-seller, Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies. They discovered that successful companies set goals that were not only visionary, but very specific, such as "achieve a 10% revenue growth rate in the next three months."

"A true BHAG is clear and compelling, serves as a unifying focal point of effort, and acts as a clear catalyst for team spirit," they wrote. "It has a clear finish line, so the organization can know when it has achieved the goal..." I added an extra "G" to the original BHAG idea, to include Green in the equation.

At Big Green Purse,  we've encouraged folks to set a goal of shifting $1,000 of their annual household spending to greener goods and services, as part of our One in a Million campaign to mobilize consumer clout to improve manufacturing. You can read about some of the people who achieved -- and exceeded - that goal here.

So... what's your BHAGG for 2012? If you want to join those who are shifting $1,000 or more, you can sign up here. If you have other goals, please share them with us so we can be inspired by your example.

Personally, I have two BHAGGs for 2012: to shift an additional $1,000 of my consumer spending to greener goods and services; and to reduce my home heating and cooling use by 20%. Stay tuned for future posts as I figure out how to do that!

Happy New Year!

 

Avoid Post-Christmas Clutter: 15 Things You Can Easily Recycle After Christmas

Now's the time to think ahead to the day after Christmas -- and all the stuff you may want or need to throw away. Instead of trashing it, here's a list of what you should easily be able to recycle:

1) Wrapping paper and ribbon (keep a paper bag or box handy when you're unwrapping presents to make the job easy and efficient) - Shred paper to use as packing material, put aside for your kids' art projects, or recycle with the weekly newspapers and junk mail.

2) Cardboard and paper boxes - Line smaller boxes with soft towels to create a new bed for a cat or small dog; flatten any boxes you don't need for easier recycling.

3) Cell phones - Take to Best Buy, Staples, or Office Depot, or send to Collective Good, which will refurbish them, re-sell them, and share the profits with the charity of your choice.

4) Computers, laptops, notebooks, monitors, keyboards - Any of the office supply stores should accept them at no cost to you.

5) Cameras - (same)    

6) Fax machines (same)

7) Clothing - Most shelters will take t-shirts, pants, long-sleeved shirts, jackets, underwear and socks. Donate fancier clothes to the local theater company or school drama department to use as costumes.

8) Christmas lights - These links will show you where you can recycle old lights and find new, energy-efficient LEDs.

9) Beverage cans, bottles and jugs - Glass, aluminum, and plastic beer, soda, juice and bottled water containers can all be recycled.

10) Plastic food containers - Many community recycling programs now accept plastic food trays and cartons, along with containers from yogurt, sour cream, dips, and spreads.

11) Toys - Clean, working toys your kids have outgrown can be passed along to the children of neighbors, family, friends, day care centers, and shelters that help house children.

12) Christmas tree - if your community doesn't pick up used trees, recycle this yourself: cut the boughs off to create mulch, and use the needles to make potpourri.

13) Televisions and Major appliances - If you got a new appliance, ask your installer to recycle the one he removes. Or check these links to get specific guidance on recycling your tv.

14) Christmas cards - Cut off the part containing the signature (usually the back page), and use the front, decorated page as a Christmas gift tag for next year.

15) Food - Combine leftovers into stews and soups, or freeze in lunch-size portions to take to work or send to school with the kids; simmer meat and turkey bones until they make a rich broth that can be used for gravies and stock; freeze cookies, breads, and dessert bars to use over the next three months.

Click here for suggestions on recycling tinsel, ornaments, and other Christmas decorations.

Holiday Traditions That Mean the Most to Me: Family, Friends, Food!

Free, Mostly Green, Holiday Gifts to Keep Your Christmas Green

 

NEED LAST MINUTE GIFTS? VISIT OUR AMAZON STORE!

Jessica Alba Joins Movement to Pass Safe Chemicals Act

The Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families Coalition is working hard to get Congress to pass the Safe Chemicals Act. The legislation would require chemicals to be proven safe before they can be used in toys, clothes, furniture and other products that kids are likely to encounter. Actress Jessica Alba, left, is probably one of the highest-profile supporters of the Coalition and SCA, but tens of thousands of people also endorse this effort to protect people from the toxic chemicals that cause cancer, asthma, birth defects, learning disabilities, and other illnesses.

Like the Campaign on Facebook, then go to the Campaign's website to learn more and take action. It's particularly important for you to send your members of Congress a letter or e-mail urging them to support a strong Safe Chemicals Act.

Here's Why We Need the Safe Chemicals Act:

Beauty...or the Beast? Depends on the Safe Chemicals Act

Putting on Lipstick Shouldn't be so Risky. It Won't Be - If You Support the Safe Chemicals Act

Little Girls Are Worrying About Bras When They Should Still be Playing with Play Dough

 

If you're in the market for...

Looking for Non-Toxic Clothes and Toys for Yourself and Your Kids? Check out our Amazon store.

Do Natural Scents Make You Happy?

Seventh Generation, the green cleaning products company, has used natural plant oils to create three new scented dishwashing liquids: lavender and mint, lemongrass and clementine zest, and fresh citrus and ginger (they still offer their "free and clear" option). In honor of their new products, they asked me to think about favorite scents that bring back fond memories.

For me, those scents - and the memories associated with them - are seasonal. Walk into my house right now and here's what you'll smell: cinnamon sticks and orange rind simmering in a small pot of fresh apple cider. Take a whiff. Mmm... I don't know about you, but one whiff of that for me and ... I relax. I kick off my shoes, snuggle up on the couch with my cat, and enjoy the autumn.

At Christmas time, it's fresh boughs of pine and fir, which I stick liberally into holiday baskets or strew on the red and green table runner I put out the beginning of December and leave until New Year's Day.

In February, my amaryllis and narcissus bulbs start blooming, their scent so sweet they can infuse an entire room.  In Easter, the lillies do the same. My  spring and summer tulips and daffodils DON'T smell, but plenty of other flowers, bushes and herbs do. In fact, I always have pots of rosemary growing on my back porch just so I can roll a few sprigs between my fingers whenever I want to breathe in that wonderful, ennervating smell.

Then there's lavender. When I was writing the Big Green Purse book, I holed up in a writer's colony at Point Reyes Station, California to complete the bulk of the research. Only one thing made the daily grind tolerable: the smell of lavender that wafted through my open windows. As luck would have it, my small writer's cabin was surrounded by fields of this beautiful flower, and they were all abloom. I started and ended every day breathing in that scent as deeply as I could. Maybe it's why I was able to finish the book under an impossibly tight deadline.

If you've never had the pleasure of wandering through such fields, your luck could change. Seventh Generation is offering sweepstakes trips for two to Italy, France, and Vermont to give people like you a chance to see where the company gets its plant-based essential oils. As they would say, they come from "fields, not factories." Do me a favor, will you? If you win, take a big deep breath...and think of me!

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Do you have a favorite smell? Does a particular fragrance trigger a memory - happy or sad - that stops you in your tracks? If you could bottle the oil from one plant, what would it be?

DISCLAIMER:

 I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Seventh Generation blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Top 10 "No-Brainer" Things You Should Recycle on America #RecyclesDay

Today is America #RecyclesDay, a national event designed to encourage you, me and millions of other Americans, businesses, governments, and institutions to throwaway less trash and recycle more.

Here's my Top 10 "No Brainer" List of what you should be recycling today - and every day. I call them "no brainers" because they're relatively easy to do in many communities, because it doesn't cost you anything to do them, and because they have a big environmental impact.

1.  Newspapers and magazines (though to reduce how much you need to recycle, cancel subscriptions to magazines you don't read, and read newspapers and magazines online when possible)

2. Junk mail, office paper, and catalogs (here's how to reduce the amount of junk mail you get in the first place; reduce office paper waste by printing on both sides, circulating documents electronically rather than on hard copy, and using software to reduce excess paper use; here's how to cut catalog overload)

3. Paper bags and packaging from the grocery store, hardware store, or department store (reduce paper packaging waste by using reusable shopping bags.)

4. Plastic bags (if your community recycling program won't take them, most grocery stores that still use them now take them back. Avoid them in the first place by using reusable bags.)

5. Plastic milk jugs (choose paper cartons instead if those are easier to recycle where you live.)

6. Plastic juice and beverage bottles (choose glass or cans if those are easier to recycle where you live.)

7. Electronics, including computers, fax machines, and especially cell phones (Best Buy, Office Depot and Staples will recycle your electronics for you; most phone companies will take your old phone and recycle it.)

8. Aluminum cans (pretty much all aluminum cans can be recycled, including those that contained soda pop, alcoholic beverages, and energy drinks.)

9. Clothing (recycle your clothes by donating to charity, selling at thrift shops, giving to neighbors and friends, or repurposing them as rags and even pillow-stuffings; send your shoes to SolesforSouls.org)

10. Food (recycle food waste into compost, to use in fertilizing vegetable and flower beds, trees and bushes)

Want More Ideas?

Top Ten Ways to Control Catalog Overload

Recycling Your Computer Just Got Easier

How to Recycle CFLs

Can You Recycle Your Car?

America Recycles Day

What else do you recycle?

Use Black Friday Sales to Try New Green Products

If the high price of some green goods has prevented you from buying them in the past, Black Friday - and Cyber Monday, the online shopping spree that happens four days after Thanksgiving - may offer the opportunity to finally give them a try. Retailers usually slash prices 30-50%, which helps make eco-friendly products more affordable. As we get closer to the big day - November 25 - I'll let you know about bargains I think are worthwhile, not because it's Black Friday particularly, but just because I think it's a smart way to use the power of your big green purse to send a message to manufacturers that green is the best "black" there is. For now, here are categories to consider if you want to make a shopping list.

FOOD

Organic food can cost as much as 30% more than food that's been conventionally grown using pesticides or under inhumane conditions for animals and people. Unfortunately, it's unlikely that staples like organic milk, meat, poultry and fresh vegetables will be on sale just because it's Black Friday. But specialty foods - like chocolate, tea and coffee, nuts, and dried fruits - are likely to have their prices slashed, particularly at more conventional grocery stores where they're seen as a premium item. I expect online retailers to offer bargains on gift packs of these items - but there's no reason why you can't buy them for yourself.

ELECTRONICS and APPLIANCES

I hate to encourage anyone to buy more electronics, given how much e-waste is piling up. However, if you're truly in need of a new phone, tablet, computer, or printer, Black Friday is the day to buy it. Do your research now so you can aim for the most energy-efficient, eco-friendly equipment; check this Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics to pick the most environmentally responsible company for the item you want. Plan now to recycle your old equipment when you replace it; stores like Best Buy, Staples, and Office Depot accept almost any electronic device, regardless of the manufacturer. If you still don't have an energy-saving power strip, get one of those while you're at it. Appliances will include the federal government Energy Guide sticker to help you choose the refrigerator, freezer, washer or dryer that uses the least amount of energy.

CLOTHING

While you'll find fashion bargains galore on November 25, not many of them are likely to be green, especially at the mall. Sadly, stores like Macy's, Target, Ann Taylor, Chico's, Express, Coldwater Creek, and the Limited are embarrassingly limited when it comes to dresses, shirts, pants, and other couture made from organic or eco-friendly fibers. You might have some luck at H&M; the last time I was in there, I found skirts and blouses made from organic cotton, and some sweaters made from recycled polyester. If you're not looking for dressy work clothes, head over to Lands End, Northface, Patagonia, and REI. Patagonia has done a particularly good job of using recycled fibers to make its vests and jackets; plus, you can recycle old t-shirts and other clothes at Patagonia when you shop.

JEWELRY

More and more fine jewelry stores are offering bracelets, rings, necklaces and earrings made from recycled gold, reclaimed stones, and diamonds sourced from humane and fair trade mines. Before you buy, ask to see certification that shows where the jewels originally came from.

TOWELS AND SHEETS

Organic towels and sheets are a real luxury, and their usual high price shows it. But even their cost might come down on Black Friday; if it does, go for it! JC Penneys, Target, and Wal-Mart stock organic linens regularly; hopefully, they'll put them on sale November 25 along with the conventionally produced items. Check online or in the newspaper for "money off on anything" coupons.

WINE, BEER, SPIRITS

Most liquor stores sell organically produced wine, beer, vodka, gin, and possibly other spirits. Whether you're stocking up for the holidays or want to refill your fridge or wine cellar, take advantage of storewide discounts or sales on individual brands.

SOAP, SHAMPOO, PERFUME, PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS

Stores like Bath & Body Works, the Body Shop, and Origins increasingly sell soaps, shampoos, lotions, and cremes free of parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances. Read labels carefully, and look for products packaged in paper, cardboard and glass rather than plastic.

YOGURT AND BREAD MAKERS

If you buy a lot of yogurt and bread, chances are you're throwing away a lot of plastic yogurt containers and paper bread wrappers. Pretty much every department store will have these two items on sale on Black Friday.

WRAPPING PAPER AND HOLIDAY CARDS

The "greenest" option is to use paper you saved from last year and to send e-cards. You can also wrap presents in fabrics, towels, or table cloths and napkins or bundle them into reusable shopping bags. But if it's paper you must have, look for 100% recycled paper or tree-free paper options in both wrapping and cards from Hallmark and Papyrus, among other shops.

Don't forget your own shopping bag... your reusable one, of course!

Related Posts:

Recycling Your Computer Just Got Easier

What if You Buy Nothing?

How to Shop for Eco-friendly Clothing (Parts 1, 2, 3)

Top Ten "Green" Thanksgiving Tips

Give to Your Favorite Charity Whenever You Shop - At No Extra Cost to You

For more ideas on how to be a green consumer this holiday season, check out the Green Moms Carnival this month, hosted by Betsy over at Eco-Novice.

 

Your Big Green Muscle is Getting J&J to Make Its Baby Shampoo Safer

Moms, consumer groups, nurses, and other health professionals have succeeded in getting Johnson & Johnson to begin to remove toxic chemicals from its baby shampoo.

Two years ago, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics reported that J&J's baby shampoo contained quarternium-15, which releases formaldhyde, as well as the chemical product 1,4-dioxane. Both formaldehye and dioxane are known carcinogens - which is why so many citizens rose up to pressure the company to produce a healthier, safer shampoo. This was a product for babies, after all!

In a coordinated effort, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, the American Nurses Association, Physicians for Social Responsibility, the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, and 40 other groups, sent a letter to J&J outlining their concerns. Groups like our own Green Moms Carnival also raised awareness through blogs that reached hundreds of thousands of people.

Earlier this month, Johnson & Johnson announced that they are no longer introducing baby products that contain formaldehyde. They also announced that they have reformulated "approximately 70%" of their products with new formulas that keep trace levels of 1,4-dioxane below detectable levels.

“Clearly there is no need for Johnson & Johnson to expose babies to a known carcinogen when the company is already making safer alternatives. All babies deserve safer products,” said Lisa Archer, director of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics at the Breast Cancer Fund.

Archer commented, “We’re glad to see that the Johnson & Johnson is taking this seriously. This commitment is a big step in the right direction. We look forward to the day when we can tell consumers the company’s entire product line is free of carcinogens and other chemicals of concern.”

RELATED POSTS

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It's Time to Ban BPA

It is time to ban Bisphenyl-A. In fact, banning Bisphenyl-A is long overdue.

This toxic chemical, also known as BPA, can make kids sick. Previous studies have indicated that BPA can cause baby boys to be born with short penises that could ultimately make reproduction difficult when the boys become men. A study released yesterday in the journal Pediatrics links the toxin to behavioral and emotional problems in toddler girls.

That study tracked 244 moms in Cincinnati and their 3-year old children. The study concluded that children of mothers whose urine contained high levels of BPA were more likely to be hyperactive, aggressive, anxious, or depressed. The behavior of girls appears to be more affected than the behavior of boys in this case, perhaps because BPA mimics the female hormone estrogen, which is thought to influence behavioral development.

Moms, pediatricians, and many consumer groups have been up in arms against BPA for years. The toxin, which helps harden plastic like the kind used for baby bottles and no-spill sippy cups, is also used to line the inside of food and soda cans. Women, using the power of their purse, were able to successfully pressure the manufacturers of baby bottles and sippy cups to eliminate BPA; many reusable water bottle makers have followed suit.

Unfortunately, most canned foods and drinks still come in cans tainted with BPA.

It’s time to rid all food packaging of this dangerous chemical. BPA should not be allowed in food packages produced in the U.S., and it should not be allowed in food packages imported into the U.S., either.

Eleven states, including California, Minnesota and Maryland, have already put their own bans in place, while France has prohibited BPA use in food packaging, as well. The U.S. should institute a nationwide ban as soon as possible.

That decision is up to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA is already in the process of determining whether BPA should be eliminated from baby bottles - even though industry, in response to consumer pressure, has already taken that step. FDA should widen its focus to include any container used to package food and drinks.

What you can do now:

You can protect yourself and your family by:

* choosing fresh food or food and drinks packaged in glass bottles, not cans or plastic bottles

* use reusable water bottles that clearly say "BPA free"

* make sure your kids only use cups, bottles, and toys clearly marked "BPA free"

Related Posts:

How to Protect Your Family from Bisphenyl-A

BPA Banned from Baby Bottles. What About Other Chemicals and Other Products?

Fresh Food Wins Again

Little Girls Are Worrying About Bras When They Should Still be Playing with Play Dough

 

 

Woman Inspired to Build a Hoop House to Grow More Food

One of the ways we can eat healthier food that doesn't harm the environment is by growing our own fruits and vegetables. My dear friend Carol is a real inspiration in that department.

Carol, who lives in Arlington, VA, has transformed her backyard into a beautiful oasis brimming with gorgeous flowers and a wonderful variety of edible plants, all of which she grows using no toxic chemicals.

Normally, in our part of the world (mid-Atlantic), the growing season ends right about now - late October/early November. Carol decided to build a  "hoop house" to protect some vegetables from frost and extend her growing season by a couple of months. (She finished it just in time for Food Day!)

When I asked her about it, here's what she said:

(Diane) You're an avid gardener! Your flower beds are gorgeous, and you already grow an abundance of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and other vegetables. Given how much time you put in during spring and summer, I'd think you'd want a rest come fall! (Carol) I LOVE to garden.  It was Becky's idea (Carol's daughter) to keep me happy in the late fall and early spring - plus the heat, mosquitoes, and gnats are   better when it's cooler outside! 

So why did you decide to build a hoop house, which some people also call a cold frame?  It's supposed to extend the growing season by about two months - one at each end. 

How did you figure out what materials you would need and how big to make it?  I searched hoop houses on the Internet, watched several videos, and decided to start with a small hoop.  This was my favorite on how to build a hoop house and raised bed. 

 Did you actually construct it all yourself?  Yes, it was a challenge - having grown up at a time when girls took home ec and boys took shop.  But I did OK.  Home Depot cut one of the three pieces of 8 foot lumber in half at no charge, so I could have two  pieces 8 feet long and two 4 feet long for the raised bed.  Home Depot also sold 10 foot pvc pipes, which they cut into 8 foot sections for free.  I bought the plastic in a roll there, too, as well as the screws.  I bought the screws (wood screws and screws with wing nuts) too short, but I was able  to walk to the hardware store and get what I needed - including a special drill bit so I didn't have to screw them in by hand.  

Building the raised bed was by far the hardest part of the job.  I had to drill 28 holes, then  re-drill them because the holes were too small.  Then I had to go to the hardware store twice for the right screws.

 Wow! That's so impressive! What will you be planting in it? I am hoping to have a month or two more of cold weather crops:  lettuce, arugula, kale, Swiss chard.   I want to pick up some spinach seedlings at the farmers market this weekend to put in there, too. 

Plus, I moved some warm weather plants - basil, dill, cilantro - to protect them. Otherwise, they'll die in a week or so from the cold weather.

 

  

Great! I can't wait for my next dinner invitation!